Zayn Malik is mad about Donatella Versace. He says she is “awesome, really warm, and friendly” and that “it was sick to work with her.” The pop sensation and significant other to Gigi Hadid is referring to the collaboration he and Versace released last week, a 40-piece capsule for the brand’s secondary line, Versus, modelled by the man himself and his potential sister-in-law, Bella Hadid. “With this line, we tried to capture the essence of how my friends and I dress right now,” Malik explains. “It’s about the attitude of the street—a mix of sports, functionality, and customisations.” The capsule starts at $175, goes up to $1,550, and is currently available online. It includes jeans, hoodies, leather motorcycle jackets, tees, bomber jackets, and trenches. Malik has become known for his gender-bending style, and he wanted this project to be a reflection of his own aesthetic. “I wanted all of my fans to be able to wear my designs, no matter their gender,” he says. “It was a challenge of course, as the workload was a lot more than if I chose to do just one piece or a few pieces, but this was worth it. I’m so pleased with the results.”

Malik doesn’t want to be labeled as a one-time musician turned designer, either. He’s always had a strong love for fashion and, as such, has worked hard to bring his two passions together. “Fashion came hand in hand with music for me,” Malik notes. “I have always loved the style of iconic British punk musicians because they were so anti-culture, and it felt like a real statement.” He adds, “Also, at the same time, the garage and hip-hop scenes really put the sportswear we were wearing on the map.” Now, Malik is the one putting trends out into the universe, mainly through his Instagram feed and what he wears on stage. But he assures that there’s no pretense to all of this, no hidden agenda in his move toward becoming a fashion mogul. “I love being creative,” he says. “I love working in the studio, making music, painting the walls, and designing clothes. I just want to do what I love and make sure my fans are a part of the journey. That’s the most important thing to me.”

The singer adds, “This is not the last time I will design. Working with Versace made sense because I had a long relationship with the brand. It felt natural.” Also natural was the simpatico relationship between Malik and Donatella Versace. “There weren’t any challenges at all,” he says. “Donatella and her team are incredible to work with, and I was so inspired that the ideas just ran! She inspired me to be true to myself and my personal style, and I’ll never forget that.” Malik may have millions of fans salivating over him and this new collaboration, but he is still starry-eyed over his fashion fairy godmother. In short, he concludes, “Donatella is a G.”